5 Easy Ways to Feel Less Stressed Right Now

Dr. Tiffany Lester's personal mantra is 98% healthy, 2% cupcakes. She believes balance is the key to leading a healthy life. And life is too short to never have cupcakes. Currently she is the Medical Director in San Francisco for Parsley Health and sees patients in person or virtually from all over the country.

Stress and I have an on-again, off-again type of relationship. We first met during my internal medicine residency, when I was working 30 hour shifts in in the ICU and surviving on protein bars and Venti lattes for fuel. I was so exhausted that even a week of sleep couldn’t fix my insane mood swings and my skin that was acting like it was 15 instead of 25. After seeing the doctor at the student clinic and being told all my labs were normal, I began to search for natural solutions. I stumbled onto a condition known as adrenal fatigue, and everything became crystal clear. Our adrenal glands produce cortisol. Elevated cortisol (our stress hormone) affects every single biologic system in our bodies. When our cortisol levels are out of balance, it can make us irritable, cause us to gain weight around our middle, increase our risk for heart disease, and disrupt our sleep cycle.

Research has shown that 75-90% of all doctor office visits are related to conditions caused by stress. My current position as Medical Director of Parsley Health, San Francisco has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling opportunities of my career, but it’s also incredibly stressful, as we work to radically shift the paradigm of how healthcare is delivered in the US. The past few months, I have been unapologetic in consistently practicing ways to combat external stressors so I don’t slide back into adrenal fatigue. I overcame my adrenal fatigue in six months by eliminating caffeine, getting at least 7 hours of quality sleep, and by taking adaptogenic herbs. Here’s what I do now:

Remember that words have power.

Especially to your nervous system. Adversity at work or home can unleash a flood of inflammatory cytokines to your system. Creating healthy boundaries around your relationships and exercising the power of “no” can significantly reduce your body’s inflammatory response. This could mean respectfully setting a reasonable expectation for your boss around a project deadline or creating distance between a toxic friendship that has passed its expiration date. Saying no to the demands of others' expectations and yes to restorative self-care practices is key to managing outside stressors.

Practice self-compassion.

Our thoughts have the power to physically impact our bodies, positively or negatively. We are often more critical of ourselves than our best friend or partner would ever be. The same physiological response that happens when we are criticized by our boss or partner occurs during our negative self-talk. Our cortisol levels rise and often our entire body tenses up as we often unconsciously prepare to protect ourselves. Start speaking to your inner child just like you would a child standing in front of you. Be gentle. Be kind. It makes an enormous difference.

Add adaptogenic foods to your diet.

Adaptogens are a special class of plants that help the body to balance and restore. My favorite adaptogenic-like food is mushrooms—I use Four Sigmatic’s mushroom powders on an almost daily basis. Cordyceps, reishi, and shiitake have known antioxidant properties, which fight the free radicals that form when we are stressed. Basil is another popular herb that is widely available to combat stress and fatigue. It also improves overall cognitive function and boosts the immune system.

Eat foods rich in magnesium.

Magnesium is present in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is known as a potent relaxation mineral. But 90% of the American population is deficient in this essential nutrient—it’s actually the number one mineral deficiency. While dark chocolate is my go-to source of magnesium, it’s best to include a variety of foods in your daily diet. Dark leafy greens, fish, yogurt, and pumpkin seeds are all rich sources of magnesium.

Add liquid chlorophyll to your water.

Many of us (me included) reach for that glass of wine or cocktail to unwind at the end of the day. For women in particular, just one drink can raise estrogen levels by 10% or more. When you have excess estrogen, your liver has to work overtime, and it also causes brain inflammation. This can lead to a heightened response to normal everyday stressors. Chlorophyll is a potent liver detoxifier and can help combat the negative effects of alcohol. Just a tablespoon a day is all you need. The recipe below is what I drink almost every night.